Alabama Senate releases proposed changes

Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh said making state government more efficient will be a "top legislative priority" in the 2013 session.

Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh, R-Anniston, on Friday released the result of a three-month study on government streamlining that recommended consolidating more than a dozen law enforcement or investigative state agencies.

"Making state government more efficient will be a top legislative priority in the 2013 session, and we will be pre-filing legislation to ensure this public safety effort is addressed," Marsh said.

The study recommended condensing 20 agencies with law enforcement or investigative missions down to seven. Marsh's office estimated the plan could save more than $260 million over 10 years.

The study was produced by the Initiative to Streamline Government, headed by Marsh and completed in April.

The changes recommended by the group include:

Combining a number of agencies with law enforcement or investigative functions.

Creating an umbrella Public Safety Agency and the position of secretary of public safety to oversee four large departments: Forensic Sciences, Investigations, Public Safety and Public Safety Training.

Merging the functions of the Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center and other groups into the Department of Investigations.

Merging the functions of the Department of Homeland Security into the attorney general's office, the Department of Investigations and the Alabama Department for Economic and Community Affairs.

Gov. Robert Bentley on Thursday created his own task force -- the Integrated State Law Enforcement Task Force -- to streamline the state's 22 agencies with law enforcement functions and reduce spending. A spokesman for Bentley called the report prepared by Marsh a good "starting point."

"The blueprint is a good starting point conceptually. What remains to be done is to iron out the individual details of how streamlining can be accomplished. This is a massive undertaking, and it's going to take a lot of detailed work by the agencies involved," Bentley spokesman Jeremy King said.

Marsh said he thought the plan could be a "road map" for the governor's group.

"With this plan, I hope the governor's task force has a road map to follow on streamlining these departments and agencies," Marsh said.